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October 25, 2005 Senator Jack A. Hart, Jr. and Representative Daniel Bosley, Chairmen Dear Senator Hart: It is an honor to have been invited to testify on October 26,2005 at the Public Hearing for SB 257, which you and Representative Daniel Bosley filed to establish a Jobs Creation Commission. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend in person to testify however I couldn’t let the opportunity pass without going on record on behalf of the residents of Boston’s Empowerment Zone. As Interim Executive Director for Boston Connects, Inc., I see first hand the tremendous need for the creation of a Jobs Commission to look into ways to create and preserve high quality, high paying jobs in the Commonwealth and especially the inner cities of the state such as the Empowerment Zones in Boston, Springfield and Lowell. Boston’s Empowerment Zone serves approximately 60,000 of Boston’s residents, a majority of whom are un/underemployed. Many of these residents live at or below the poverty line and must work two or more jobs just to survive in this economy. Representatives from the business, community, unions, academia and of course the unemployed are the right people to gather to think about ways to create good jobs and to evaluate ways to maintain quality employment in the state. I certainly applaud your efforts along with those supporters who have worked tirelessly on this effort for years to create a Job Creation Commission. Count me, the Board of Directors of Boston Connects, Inc, and the 60,000 residents of the Empowerment Zone, who face the challenge of finding a good job to support their families, as enthusiastically supportive of the Jobs Creation Commission. Sincerely, Shirley Carrington  |
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